MD1
by Jordanna Alexandra
Summary: Strange things are happening in Ixia and Sitia, Yelena and Valek must part ways once more, as Yelena must go to MD1 and he to MD7. But what awaits them there? takes place after study series.
1. Chapter 1

** Yelena POV **

I sat on the couch in Valek's suit reading one of his books without actually taking in any of the words, when a knock came from the door and jarred me from my day dream.

I rose and strode to the door, opening the various locks and peered around the edge of the door to see who was behind it: a messenger.

"Yes?" I questioned.

"The Commander requests your attendance in the war room." I nodded in confirmation and left the room, relocking the door behind myself.

I soon arrived at the Commander's war room, weaving around the multitude of workspaces to reach the door at the back leading to his study.

"You wanted to see me?" I asked him.

"Yes but I think we should wait for Valek before I begin." We waited less than a minute and Valek strode in, taking his place standing alongside me as our eyes met across the room.

"I have called you both here today because I have received disturbing reports of rebellions breaking out in a few corners of Ixia: MD's 1, 3, 5 and 7. The worst being MD1 and 7. I have had reports saying that the leader of these outbursts is currently in MD7, which is where I plan to send you, Valek. However, I have also heard rumours saying he may be in MD1. I do not wish to leave either area vulnerable which is why I _intend_ to send _you_ there." He purposefully directed his eyes towards me.

"What of MD3 and 5, sir?" Valek questioned.

"I plan to have your seconds, Ari, Janco and Maren, put in charge of aiding the generals in those areas. I fear the generals alone may not have the resources to round up the miscreants in charge of all this mayhem so they will also be taking a portion of soldiers to each area as well. I want you two to do like-wise."

"And how many men would you have us take to each area?"

"I will have the details of the extent of this issue forwarded to you. You can review them later but I will expect your opinion on the supplies needed to counter each of the uprisings by tomorrow morning at the latest."

"Of course."

"Does my liaison have any qualms with my plan?" the Commander asked, directing his gaze at me.

Thinking of no reason to refuse the Commander, I agreed to go to MD1 and left the throne room with Valek. We then parted ways when he said he needed to stop by his office and agreed to meet back at the suit.

When I got back to our rooms I began making preparation for our trips; collecting together all the necessary essentials and placing them in a pile in the spare room – my old room.

I was mostly done when Valek crept in and snuck up behind me, placing his hands on my waist. I probably would have taken a swing at the person had I not had confidence that even if someone could pick Valek's locks, they probably wouldn't be coming in and be touching me so nonchalantly so, instead I spun around and buried my head in his chest, inhaling his scent.

"Are you alright?" Valek asked.

"I don't like this."

"Don't like what?" I looked up at his face and found his ice blue eyes studying me carefully; searching my face for any and all emotions.

"The letter I got from Irys, these rebellions; they are too close together to be coincidental." I had gotten a letter from Irys a few days ago. She had written to tell me of the strange things happening in Sitia; starting with vanishings without an explanation or signs of a struggle. At first she had been worried that someone had uncovered the secrets of blood magic but then the missing people were being spotted leagues away from their homes and refusing to return. They might drop comments such as 'I cannot' or 'I have realised the truth' but they were always cryptic and would refuse to say anymore before disappearing again.

The news had disturbed me and I had been planning to travel back to the citadel until the Commander had revealed Ixia's own strange happenings, and although I wanted to go back to Sitia to deal with its problems, I knew Ixia's were more urgent and I had a feeling that the two might be somehow linked.

A hint of thought crossed Valek's face before he replied. "I'm not sure, but I do think there is something happening. Something that none of us know about." A line appeared between his eyebrows and I felt the need to smooth it out, to make him smile the smile that made everything in the world seem right.

I stretched up on my toes and brushed his lips with mine and when I set myself back on the floor he kissed my forehead in kind. "We should finish our preparations." Valek said brusquely, turning to the pile I had made.

"I think I've got everything." He quickly reeled off a list of his favourite weapons as well as other necessities such as bed rolls and water canisters. When he finished he looked at me with raised eyebrows, a smile tugging at his lips. "What?" I asked putting my hands on my hips and leaning my weight onto one leg.

He answered, "I can't think of anything to add." I pushed him playfully and left the room to collapse on the sofa.

Valek gracefully sat next to me and I curled into him, resting my head in the hollow of his shoulder. "Have you made your decisions for the Commander?"

"I still need to finish reading the reports but I have doubts that anything more than what the Commander told us will come up. But yes, I've chosen the numbers for each of our missions."

"And how many soldiers will I have chasing me?" I asked, looking up at him, smiling.

"Oh just an odd ten…" he replied dismissively.

"I suppose it isn't too bad then."

"I have the utmost confidence in your abilities, Love" he kissed the top of my head and I sank deeper into him, relaxing.

Our conversation diverted to more pleasant things after that, but, with the anticipation of our departures, it did not seem long before the sun was low and the night sky had rolled over the horizon and Valek left the suit to deliver his report to the Commander.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day the castle was alive as everyone prepared for their assigned missions; Janco and Ari in particular seemed energetic.

A sat grinning on the training yard fence whilst watching Janco and Ari sparring; their equal fighting skills had caused them to become desperate and frustrated, resulting in them using dirtier and dirtier tactics in order to get the better of the other but they still seemed to be in a stalemate.

"One two three, time to make this coward flee, five six seven, deary me his arm is leaden, eight nine ten, time to get stuck in fen." As usual Ari was unperturbed by Janco's rhymes and had a completely blank expression. The only signs of his effort was the small line that had appeared between his eyebrows and the neat cuts that mirrored Janco's.

Janco stopped his rhyming and quickly skipped to another rhythm but this time he spoke so fast I found it hard to discern his words, "Up in a tree a bird did sit, upon the branch he did flit, for below him there did prowl, a canine that did so growl, wait and wait did that bird, for when the time came to herd, the bird flew down and struck that hound!" Ari's eyes had widened from their slits as he knew that Janco was up to something - all his rhymes were designed to taunt his opponent but this one had no relevance - however, before Ari had a chance to figure it out, Janco's rhyme altered in rhythm at the last words, enabling him to twist around Ari's defence and aim his sword at the hollow in his throat but not before Ari flashed his sword down and had it aimed at Janco's stomach. The pair froze with their weapons aimed at lethal positions before pulling away and laughing loudly.

Hopping off the fence, I jogged over to where my friends stood hunched over in a combination of laughter and exhaustion. "I don't think it's all that good an idea for you two to be spending so much energy training the day before you're meant to be heading off on a mission." I called before I quite reached them.

"You just don't want me to challenge you." Janco taunted me, flourishing his sword. "I think you're afraid I'll beat you." he continued jokingly.

"After that fight?" I raised my eyebrows for emphasis. "You look like you could have just finished recovering from a good helping of My Love."

"All the easier the challenge." I had reached the pair and I gave Janco a friendly punch for his casual stupidity. "Did you see that?" Janco leapt away with his usual speed and looked at Ari wide-eyed, "She attacked me! Her mentor!"

I rolled my eyes at his exaggeration. "When do you set off?" I directed at Ari, wanting a serious answer.

"Same time as you. We've been assigned MD3 so we need to set off tonight."

"And we get to travel with you up to the northernmost point of MD6." Janco interrupted enthusiastically.

A smile spread across my face at the thought of traversing most of my journey with them - I had been expecting my journey to be quiet and tense due to my unfamiliarity with the men I was to be travelling with though now with Ari and Janco accompanying me, I knew it was going to be a completely different experience.

I spent the rest of the day with Ari and Janco as the latter contemplated ingenious pranks that could be pulled on the unwitting soldiers coming along with us - often to then be halted by Ari commenting on it going too far when Janco began to think of ways for tents to be mysteriously destroyed or horses to vanish.

After dinner, I agreed to meet with the Power Twins at the north gate of the castle just after sundown where they and the rest of the group was due to meet and made my way to mine and Valek's suit. When I arrived I closed the door behind myself and made my way through the stacks of books and documents that occupied the majority of the main room. By the time I was able to reach the centre of the mess I had already knocked over half a dozen piles and Valek had emerged from upstairs to smile at me and pick his way through to me with expert grace.

A faint smile touched the corner of my mouth as our lips met and our embrace intensified with an essence of urgency. My hands tangled in his dark hair as his hand pressed against my back while the other held my neck, keeping our lips intertwined. Our breathing became more ragged as our lungs ached for air while our bodies ached at being torn apart.

Finally, we separated and I wrapped my arms around his waist and leant my ear against his chest, listening to its steady thrumming. Mine.

"I love you." Valek whispered into my hair.

"And you have my heart."


	3. Chapter 3

When the time arrived to leave, Valek grabbed my bag, insistent on carrying it for me while I changed into my travel clothes - a clear sign that he wanted to see me off.

Before we left the suite he kissed me and took my hand. I could see the strain on his face but I was unsure of what was bothering him; we were almost to the meeting point when I decided to ask him about it.

Studying his eyes carefully I asked, "Are you alright?"

"Fine." he squeezed my hand and smiled in reassurance - I wasn't buying it though I decided to leave him be as I heard Janco calling my name.

Valek and I made our way down to the north gate, deliberating over him perhaps joining me for some of the journey but I had to concede that he was needed at the castle as preparations were to be made for its defence for the duration of his and Maren's absence.

Approaching the gates, we could see a mingle of both Ari and Janco's, and my soldiers with the Power Twins in the centre shouting out orders to the congregation, looks of frustration on both their faces. Eventually, Janco managed to weave his way from the cluster of people and came over, picking me up into one of his bear hugs until I was gasping for air, upon which, he set me down and I turned to the pair before me. "Is everything ready to go?"

Ari frowned and Janco replied, "I wish! With the short notice of the mission half of them are about as confused as a squirrel that's lost his stash."

"What he means to say is," Ari said "that only a small majority – very, very small – have gathered the appropriate equipment. Plenty don't have bed rolls, some have brought equipment for Sitia instead of the ice sheet and all-round, we're lucky if they can find their swords."

A deep frown had appeared on Valek's face and I could tell he expected more from the Commander's men. He briskly stepped forward so he was no longer concealed by Ari and Janco and with his appearance, the soldiers began to notice his presence and silence one another.

"It appears that you men are slacking in your abilities. In regards to the Commander's soldiers, I expect all of you to be prepared and organised when you are sent for; _not_ a crowd of aimless dimwits that can no longer recognise the blunt end of a blade!" Although Valek's voice showed his annoyance and anger at the men, his visage remained perfectly impartial and I was certain by the expressions of the men that this terrified them even more than if his face had turned a plum-red. "I am going to call out the equipment you need and you will organise yourselves so that a pair of you will fetch each piece of equipment with enough for _all_ of you. You will then deposit all of the possessions you are currently carrying that I do _not_ mention. Have I made myself clear to you?"

The soldiers called their assent and Valek reeled off the list of equipment they needed to travel through the northern districts and soon they were all scrambling to gather the equipment but unlike before, they now held the air of purpose and direction.

When Valek came over he gave the Twins a pointed look and they scampered off to ensure no one was slacking while he stood next to me, cupping my cheek in his palm.

I read past his eyes that, for everyone else were a solid and uncaring ice, but for me they melted and I could see his concern for me. He worried over the insufficiency of the men I had been assigned and my safety.

Consoling him with my calmest and most certain voice I said the only thing that came to mind for his comfort, "I'll be fine." Didn't work. He furrowed his brow and brought me in for a tight hug.

"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep." He whispered.

"And I think I deserve a little faith." I replied jokingly.

He pulled away and rewarded me with a rueful smile. "I might actually believe you if not for the fact that you are like a magnet for danger and I only feel that you are safe when you are with me."

"I've handled danger well enough without you. I'm sure I'll be fine this time as well." I seemed to ease his worry slightly but I could still see it in the small lines on his face.

He pulled me close again and gave me a passionate goodbye kiss until we heard an awkward cough next to us. I disentangled myself from him to see Janco watching us, a mischievous grin on his face.

"As much as I _love_ to see Valek sucking you face Yelena, we should be going." I looked behind Janco and saw the soldiers steadily assembling into an organised formation under the direction of Ari.

Returning my attention to Janco, I nodded at him and sent him back to assist his friend. Spinning back to face Valek, I kissed him lightly one last time, and as I turned to leave, I lifted my butterfly pendant so he could see it and tucked it safely into my shirt.


End file.
